Interlude: A Quartermaine Thanksgiving
by Gillen1962
Summary: It is Thanksgiving Day and the Homeless of Port Charles are treated to a dinner at Kelly's by Mayor Webber. At the Q's The secret of Fatima Quartermaine is about to be revealed and Jason has a conversation with his niece Lila Rae. The Dancer killer is stalking the docks and all that stands between Nisida and danger is a stray dog?


_Interlude: A Quartermaine Thanksgiving_

Nisida Had been trying to convince the large brown dog that hung around the docks to trust her for the better part of the month. So far, he would eat the food that she put out, and drink the water. Other than that, the closest he would get would be about five feet.

He would sit though and cock his head when she spoke to him.

"Why won't you let me pet you?" Nisida said as the dog tilted his head. "Come on it is Thanksgiving. Not that I guess that has any meaning to you. But I've been feeding you for weeks. You know me."

Suddenly the Dog crouched low and growled. It took three steps towards Nisida. "Hey boy, It's me. What?"

Nisida looked behind her. "Oh, Hi Mr. Eckhart."

The dog growl once more as Nisida stood up and shook the man's hand. The mutt moved back another few feet.

"You must have surprised him coming up that way" Nisida said as Sly looked at the dog.

Sly smiled. "I didn't mean to scare either of you. I just wanted to see if the back door was open. I have the van with the food and fixings for the meal for the homeless."

Nisida smiled. "Yep, it's open. We are all set. Cameron is inside" Nisida turned to the dog. "If you keep hanging out back here, I bet there is some Turkey later boy."

The dog all but grinned. Nisida let Sly into Kelly's.

"This is a really nice thing that the mayor is doing for the homeless" Nisida said.

"It is a nice thing that your boss let us use her diner" Sly replied.

"She said to help you any way we can." Nisida said with a smile. "She and Jason left for the Quartermaine's, but she is on my speed dial."

Sly laughed. "Well hopefully you won't need her."

Rovena Krasniqi clutched Jason's hand as Monica led them and Rovena's Father Nini into the living room "And this is the formal living room." Monica said smiling

Rovena had seen big houses like this driving through Westchester. But actually, being inside of one was overwhelming. "So is there an informal living room."

Olivia Quartermaine entered the room and laughed. "I have been looking for it for a couple of years now." She said. She came over and hugged Rovena and said. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Felice Ringraziamento" Answered Rovena.

Olivia lifted her eyes and smiled. She turned to Nini who said. "Felice Ringraziamento, thank you all for inviting us."

"You speak Italian?" Olivia said her eyes sparking.

"All Albanians do, when I was a kid, all of our TV came from Italy, you didn't speak the language you didn't know what was going on."

Olivia hugged the girl again.

Nini smiled. "Yes, back when the communist were in charge we would listen late at night to the radio to find out what was going on in the world."

Olivia and Monica both smiled.

"You are quite the cook" Olivia said to the old man. "The food in Kelly's is outstanding."

Nini waved a hand. "Please, I am sure a good girl from Italy like you can cook circles around me."

She took Rovena's hand. "Come with me to the kitchen the only thing I am allowed to cook on the holiday is lasagna, it's almost done. Come take a taste"

Monica smiled "And it better be done before Cook comes back from Church."

Olivia tugged on Rovena's hand. And the father and daughter began to follow her out. Rovena noticed Jason a step behind her and turned and said. "Talk to your Mother."

Jason shrugged and smiled as he watched her leave and then turned to Monica and said. "So, what is this about Sage?"

Alexandria Quartermaine sat in her living room speaking on her Skype connection. "So, have you made any progress, Doctor?"

"I am very close." The man on the other end said. "The problem is that there is no test run for this. It either works or it doesn't."

"I understand" Said Alexandria. "Have the astrophysics students I sent over been of any help?"

"Very much they have the satellite aligned and we are ready to use the power from the reactors." The Doctor paused. "Has Basil DeLestrade approved of this."

"I have not asked him."

"You will drain all of the power out of the main power sources for his country with this."

"And I should care?" Alexandria asked genuinely puzzled. "I am about to put Malktooh into the history books, if that freak does not see that, then that is on him."

The Doctor took a long breath. "I need to go, truthfully we could be just hours away from a breakthrough."

Alexandria nodded as she disconnected the feed. She smiled as her daughter Fatima entered the room

"Are you ready Mother?" She said.

Alexandria sighed. She regretted agreeing to go to the Q Mansion for Thanksgiving. "Can we change our minds, dear?" She asked

"No"

Alexandria laughed a rarity for her. She got up and gave her daughter a hug. "Very well, let's go."

She stopped as they turned to leave. "One more moment dear."

She went back to the laptop and sent a message to the Doctor. "Deploy as soon as you are ready, target Port Charles, this is my authorization."

She turned back to her daughter and said. "Let's go"

"Let's go" Lucky yelled down into Soumia's basement lab as he descended the stairs.

"Almost ready" Soumia said.

Hajar sighed. "I don't understand why we cannot just steal a satellite from say the US government."

"I am sure that they would lend us one Haj, but you have the secondary degree in astrophysics, the location in stationary orbit around the earth is important and there is already another satellite there."

"The Quartermaine one." Hajar said.

"The Quartermaine one that the Cassadines hijacked and that was then hijacked by Alexandria, yes."

Hajar let out a low growl. "Then blast it out of the sky!"

"We can't" said Lucky, 'every computer simulation we run shows the debris landing in major populated areas."

"We have the Ice Princess formula; we need that air space to deploy it." Snapped Hajar.

"We think we have the formula" Said Soumia. "There is no way to be positive until it is deployed. And more importantly there is no way to test the counter agent unless we deploy it. "

Lucky nodded. "Even if we had the satellite space, we need a power source and we need that power source to be in one of two locations. Malkooth or Cassadine Island."

Hajar flipped her hand and said. "Well your brother can give you access to the Island; we just need to move a power source there."

"My brother is still dead" Lucky said, "And while I am pretty sure that Valentin would let us use the Island where and how do we get a power source that large to the Island."

"That is your problem" Said Hajar. "I fulfilled my obligations."

"Well I am so glad that you think protecting the planet is a zero-sum game." Snapped Lucky

"Okay enough" Said Soumia "We are all tense. Let's head to Kelly's and take a break. It is Thanksgiving."

Lucky put his arm around her waist. "Yes. Come on I bet Mom and Kevin, Lulu and Rocco are there already."

Hajar shook her head "To spend the day feeding people with no homes?"

"Yes" Said Soumia.

"Can we not just write them a check?" Hajar said rolling her eyes as Soumia tugged her hand up the stairs.

Jennifer Hutchinson walked out of General Hospital and took a deep breath, for the first time in weeks she felt happy. She was free from the grip of Alexandria Quartermaine, she and Brooke Bentley had returned to work at the school and Anna Devane had kept her word and transferred her beloved Uncle Jefferson here to GH.

She had spent the morning with him and now while Brooke visited she was off to find herself a nice turkey sandwich at the very least for Thanksgiving.

Peter August came out of General Hospital one step behind Jennifer, he had been there following up on a feel-good story in the Children's ward and now he was supposed to be heading to join Anna, Finn, Chase and Willow for Thanksgiving Dinner. If Chase made it, he thought, Chase was the lead Detective on the Serial Killer Case that had just broken last week and as this holiday had approached he had seemed more and more distracted. The PCPD had issued a high alert for today, asking everyone, especially women to be cautious in traveling today.

Peter smiled as he fell in behind Jennifer, he noticed that she was attractive. In fact, Peter had, as things between he and Maxie went further and further south begun to notice that there were a lot of attractive women in Port Charles. As he walked, he clicked open his phone and looked at the latest photo, his on line girl, Jesse had sent him. They were talking about meeting early next week after the holiday. And Peter could not wait.

Monica had just finished explaining to Jason the story behind Sage and Fatima when they heard Cook yelling in the kitchen

Monica cringed. "I think I better check on that" She said. "You stay relax."

Jason watched her exit and sat back on the couch. This was the first time in many years that he had chosen to come here for the holiday rather than Sonny's. For some reason now with Rovena this felt right. Jason closed his eyes for a second and let his mind calm.

"Excuse me" said a young voice.

Jason opened his eyes and looked at the young girl standing by the fireplace. She could not have been more then thirteen or so,

"Excuse me" she said again "Are you Jason?"

Jason nodded and extended his hand. "And you are?"

The girl ignored his hand and said. "Lila Rae Alcazar."

"Oh" Said Jason "Skye's daughter. Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, I'm sure. You carry a gun, right?" Lila asked boldly.

Jason was surprised by her question but answered nearly automatically "Yes"

"Good' Said the girl. She turned around and got on her knees. "Then I want to give you this opportunity to go ahead and kill me."

Jason could not contain his shock "Why would I want to kill you?"

"So, you are not going to do it?" Lila Rae asked.

"No, why would I kill you?" Jason asked.

Lila Rae stood up and turned and faced Jason. "Okay, I didn't think you would but I wanted to be fair and give you a chance."

"A chance?" Jason said. "Lila, I do not understand."

She gave him a thin smile. "You killed my Father."

"I…it is a complicated matter" Jason said.

"Not for me. It is very simple for me. You killed my father. "

Jason looked away.

"And you can't even say I am sorry." Lila said mockingly. "it's okay though, it would not matter. See I am not the rest of these morons in this town, you killed my father and I don't care if you pull me out of a burning building, save my life at risk of your own, deliver my baby in the middle of a tornado, or any of the other crap that you have done over the years to get people to forgive you. I will never forgive you."

"Lila you are young right now, when you are older"

She cut him off. "Exactly, when I am older, I will kill you. It would be silly of me to try right now, I'm thirteen, you could stop me in a thousand ways. But five years from now, I'll be eighteen and I will kill you."

"Lila Rae." Jason said.

"Lila Rae Alcazar, you killed my father prepare to die." The girl said still smiling.

Jason was about to say something when his son Danny came racing into the room

"Dad"

"Hey buddy" Said Jason not taking his eyes off Lila. "I did not know you were going to be here, where is Mom?"

"She is at the Haunted Star with Annie, Ethan, and Connor. She said I could eat here with you guys, I don't like Turkey that much, and we all know it will end up being pizza here."

The boy turned and looked at Lila. "Who are you?"

She smiled. "I'm your cousin Lila. It is so nice that you have a Dad for Thanksgiving. "

The boy looked puzzled. "Sure, I do, don't you?"

"No mine was killed. I have my Mom, though she is your Aunt Skye."

"So, my Dad is your Uncle?"

Jason nodded. "Yes, we are family."

Lila Rae grinned. "Yeah, you know how it is with Family and the Holidays, right Uncle Jason?"

Skye entered the room and saw the look on her daughter's face. "Is everything all right here?"

"Sure Mom, just meeting Uncle Jason."

Soumia, Lucky and a reluctant Hajar entered a Kelly's diner that was filled with people and the smell of roasted Turkey. The line at the door went down the block. Far more people in need in Port Charles then Lucky remember as a child.

"Uncle Lucky" Said Rocco as he came through the door. The boy ran at him and Lucky swooped him up and over his shoulder. "Hey Rocky"

Lulu came over and kissed her brother and future Sister in law "Hey guys, Mom is in the back with Nisida and Kevin is upstairs nixing some punch that we are not supposed to know the secret ingredients of"

Lucky shrugged.

"But" Said Lulu "which he assures us has no alcohol."

Soumia grinned. "Good to hear" She turned and said. "Lesley Lou I don't think you have met my friend Hajar"

Lulu held out her hand. "I'm Lulu, only Soumia calls me Lesley Lou."

Hajar held her hand out. "I have seen you on the news."

"Oh, thank you."

"I didn't compliment you, I just said I saw you." Hajar said with a smile.

In the kitchen Laura leaned over a large steaming pot. "These potatoes are almost ready to be mashed." She said as she lifted one out with a fork.

Nisida nodded and opened the oven door. She looked and said. "We should take these Turkeys out and let them cool a bit then"

Laura smiled. "Yep"

Nisida took two large Turkeys with all the fixings out of the oven, as Lucky popped his head into the Kitchen. "Hey Mom, Sly is out here he wants to get some pictures of the Mayor and her family."

Laura smiled and went and gave Lucky a kiss. Nisida turned and opened the back door to let some cool air into the hot kitchen.

"Speaking of family, you didn't have Spencer come home for Thanksgiving?" Lucky asked.

"I offered; he had an opportunity to go skiing in Germany with a classmate."

"A female classmate" Lucky said laughing.

"He is growing up too fast. He will be home for Christmas though whether he likes it or not."

Lucky laughed "Okay come on let's make Sly happy with these pictures."

Laura slipped past Lucky into the main dining room.

"Hey Nisi" said Lucky "You too kid."

"Me?" She said raising her eyebrow, "You said that Mr. Eckhart wanted the Mayor's family."

"And what do you think you are?' Lucky said with a smirk. The girl raced over and hugged him.

"Thank you…I…. thank you"

Lucky shook his head. "Come on, Cameron is all ready slicking down his hair."

Nisida her arm around Lucky's waist followed him out. As she did the stray dog trotted in through the open door.

"Wine" Asked Drew Cain as he handed Alexandria Quartermaine a glass

"Why thank you Petty Officer, it is nice that you are not holding a grudge."

"Do you mean over trying to kill me the last time we met, please don't be silly." Drew said with a sigh.

He walked back over to the wet bar where Ned handed him a shot of tequila. "You deserve this."

"So, Serena, I saw your lovely sister last week when I was meeting with Basil." Alexandria said with false sincerity.

Serena nodded and wondered why she had turned down dinner with her Father and Franco and his family. "Wonderful, I spoke with her yesterday on messenger but we have not had a chance to Skype in a while."

"She looks so lovely and is really growing into the role of first lady of Malktooh." Alexandria said.

"I so wish to meet her" Said Fatima. She and Dillon were sitting by Edward's old desk. "Mother says such nice things about her."

"Livvie is just a sweetheart" said Serena. "Everybody loves her, in fact she is kind of like you."

Fatima blushed.

Skye entered the room and Fatima said. "Mother, have you met your cousin Skye?"

Alexandria looked and shook her head. "No, I have not" She got up and walked over to Skye holding out her hand. "Alan adopted you during the time I was…. well indisposed. It is so nice to meet you Ms. Alaczar."

"Quartermaine, but please we are family call me Skye."

Sonny Corinthos strolled along the docks. There was no point in being home, at least not till dinner was ready. Carly had managed to convince Michael to join them this year, but things between he and his namesake were still stressed and Sonny felt that the less time Michael was forced into one on one conversations with him the better. He had stopped by and visited his father in the home, poor Mike he had no idea it was Thanksgiving.

Sonny figured he had about three hours before dinner was ready. It was a nice walk today. The ghost had taken a rare day off. Only Claudia walked along the docks with him, and she was as always silent.

"Just one more photo" Said Sly.

Laura gave Kevin a hug and said. "He always says just one more."

"Well we will take a few once you begin serving "Said Sly with a smile. "But that is it for now"

"Great" Said Laura let's get some food.

"Hey Sly" Lucky said. "You got a second Cousin?"

"Sure, what is up?"

"You know I am getting married soon, and well, Ethan is going to be my best man, and Cameron is one of the groomsmen, and I was wondering Cousin if you'd do me the favor of being the other?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. I know we drifted apart but man, when I first came to this town, you were my only friend, I never forgot that."

Sly could not keep from choking up. "Lucky, I would be honored." He turned. "I…. I need to go and get something from the van..I….Gee… Lucky thank you."

Lucky shook his hand. "No man thank you." He pulled Sly into a hug,

Lucky watched Sly leave the diner and then heard the scream from the kitchen.

He raced in. Kevin one step behind him. Laura stood in the doorway of the kitchen her mouth agape. Nisida hunched on the floor in shock.

The kitchen was a mess, food and food bits everywhere. One Turkey was completely devoured and the other, well the other was in the large open mouth of the stray dog.

Lucky yelled at the dog as he came in. "Get go on get."

He helped Nisida to her feet. She was sobbing. "I am so sorry; I forgot the door was open. I have been feeding him for days, but he never came in here before. It's all ruined."

Laura began to laugh.

"Mom" Lulu said as she came into the kitchen "Are you okay?"

Laura kept laughing. "Honey how many people are out there?"

"Sixty easy."

Laura just kept laughing. She went over and hugged Nisida. "it's okay sweetheart. I need you to call Rovena, she is at the Quartermaine's. Then go find your dog, poor thing is likely scared to death with all the screaming."

Laura smiled at Lulu "Call your Brother over at the Haunted Star." She turned to Lucky and said. "And you call Elizabeth."

The three of them stood there staring at her.

A minute passed.

Finally, Soumia said. "They need you to tell them why Miss Laura."

"Really?" Laura shook her head at her children. "Tell them we need their Thanksgiving dinners."

"I do not want to jinx this" Said Monica. "But I think we may just make it to dinner this year"

Ned smiled. "Yeah I ordered a dozen pizzas already just in case."

Alice came in and said. "Folks Cook says you may begin to come to the dining room."

Rovena's phone rang. "Oh No. No really? No. Okay Okay. No. I will see what I can do."

She hung up.

"Is everything all right?" Asked Jason.

Rovena sighed. "Apparently the stray dog that Nisida has been feeding got into the diner and ate the Turkeys that they were fixing for the homeless."

"Oh No" Said Monica. She looked at Ned and shook her head. "Well we almost made it."

"What?" Said Rovena.

"I will have Cook pack up our dinner, I'd go with you, but we have too much company, you, Jason and your Dad take it back to the diner. Ned ordered Pizza anyway"

Alexandria shook her head as Fatima clapped her hands. "Dillon said we would be having pizza"

"Really" Rovena asked.

"Really"

She hugged Monica "Oh thank you. Thank you."

Jason stepped forward and kissed Monica on the top of her head. "Thank you" He paused and looked at Rovena then did a very unJason like thing and winked at her. "Thank you, Mom."

Lulu and Soumia sat at the counter of Kelly's as Laura and Kevin helped Annie and Elizabeth put their food out in large hot pans. The bells on the door rang and Rovena and Jason entered with Quartermaine meal

Soumia smiled. "Is every Thanksgiving in Port Charles this interesting?" She asked Lulu

"Just about."

"Here boy, here boy" Nisida yelled. "Please boy don't be afraid."

Lucky walked next to her looking around for the stray.

"I am so sorry I ruined everything" Nisida said.

"You ruined nothing, nor did the dog. It's just a setback." Lucky said. Then he pointed towards the pier. "Hey over there."

Nisida saw the dog and raced to the Pier. The poor thing was down an alley looking scared.

"Hey boy, it's okay boy, they are not mad at us." She said.

Lucky crouched down as well. "Here boy" He turned to Nisida and said. "Have you named him?"

"Huh, no he is just a stray."

"Even strays have names sweetheart."

The Pizza arrived at the Quartermaine mansion. Alice brought the boxes into the living room and began to hand out slices.

"Now now before we eat what is it, we do" Said Ned.

"Well Grandfather always said first we sing then we eat." Skye commented.

"That sounds like Edward" Alexandria said.

At Kelly's Laura turned and said to Sly "Go ahead, open the doors let them in."

Elizabeth, Franco, Scott, Hayden, Kevin, Tom Hardy, Ethan, Lulu, Annie, Sam and Connor stood by to begin serving.

Laura smiled. "What is it the Quartermaine's say" She said as she hugged Soumia and Rovena around the waist.

"First we sing, then we eat" Said Lulu

Connor began to hum "hmmm hmmm hmmm hmm…."

In the alley Lucky duckwalked a little closer to the dog. "Hey fella, what's you name Boy? Rex? Come here Rex."

The dog looked puzzled. Lucky smiled. "No not Rex." He laughed. "Hey, Hey Foster, come here skillet head, come on Foster come here"

The dog looked then wagged its tail and trotted carefully over to Lucky. Lucky reached out and petted him behind the ear. "Hiya Foster, how you doing old boy."

Nisida was crying. "Foster? How did you know his name was Foster?" The dog turned and kissed her as she petted him

"Talk to rocks long enough you learn things" Lucky said as he petted the dog. "Ain't that right Foster?"

Ned smiled and took out his Mp3 player. "I thought we would hear a blast from the past as we sing" he said and turned it on.

The Bluetooth connected the player to the speakers in the room.

"We Gather together to ask the Lord's Blessing; He chastens and Hastens His will to make know." Sage's smooth voice echoed through the room

"WHAT" Fatima said. "That is me. How is that me. I never sang that song."

Her face turned white.

"That's enough Ned" Alexandria hissed.

"Mother how is that me!" Screamed Fatima.

Skye stepped forward and gripped the young girl. "That is Sage Alcazar. She was my niece. She is my niece. Fatima, that voice is yours, you are Sage."

The girl sobbed. "What, how." She broke from Skye's grip and looked at her mother. "Tell them they are wrong Mother."

Alexandria looked at Ned, Skye and Monica and hissed. "I will spit on your graves." Then softer she said to her daughter "Fatima. I am not sure. You may well be."

Jennifer Hutchinson could hear the singer from Kelly's Diner way over on the other side of the docks. She smiled and hummed along with the familiar tune herself.

"Excuse me Miss would you like to dance?"

"Come on Foster, I guess we better get you to the pound." Nisida said hugging the dog.

"Why?" Lucky asked. "Don't you want him?"

"Yes. I mean but. Can I?"

Lucky shook his head. "Sure, it's about time Foster came home, isn't it boy?"

The dog licked Lucky's hand, then perked his ears turned and took off.

"What?" Nisida said.

Then the humans heard the scream and Lucky bolted after the dog, Nisida one step behind him

Lucky came out of the alley and tore down towards the pier. The dog was hunched between a woman who was laying on the dock and a man who had his hands in front of him and was saying. "Relax boy. Relax."

"Foster" Lucky said. "Heel"

The Dog moved out of its crouch but still kept growling. Lucky jerked his head and Nisida moved past the man to the girl. Lucky drew his side arm and said, "Who are you and what is going on?"

"She's breathing Dad…Lucky" Nisida said.

"Then let me finish checking her." The man said.

"Who are you?"

"Clark Steinman I am the Medical Examiner I was on my way to Kelly's to help serve dinner when I heard this girl scream, I got here a step behind the dog, I saw a man running away. But the dog won't let me near her…please I am a doctor."

Lucky nodded but kept his gun on Steinman as Nisida tugged Foster away.

"She is alive, her windpipe is nearly crushed, we need to get her to General Hospital" Clark said.

Lucky holstered his gun and stepped forward. "Oh My God. It's Jennifer Hutchinson."


End file.
